Stina Nilsson was criticized by Björn Ferry.
Now she is fighting back.
– It’s my second distance race ever, she tells Expressen.
Sweden has had an absolutely incredible start to the biathlon season. During the season premiere on Tuesday won Martin Ponsilomaand on Wednesday it was his partner, Hannah Öbergwho got to step on top of the podium, when she won after a magical effort.
“Like a junior”
Elvira Öberg ended up high in the charts despite several misses, and Sebastian Samuelsson he was also close to the podium. It is overall a very strong Swedish national team, both in the men’s and women’s teams, but one that did not quite get it right during its season premiere was Stina Nilsson.
The former sprint specialist in cross-country skiing is now in her third season as a biathlete, and in yesterday’s competition she shot full in the first shoot. In the end, there were four barriers, but it was above all her ride times that stood out. She was seriously missed, and Elvira Öberg, who was the fastest in the track, went a full two minutes and 20 seconds faster. It got Bear Ferry to react in SVT. He said that Stina “rides like a junior”.
– What characterizes an experienced skier is usually that you are at least decently smooth in your skiing. Then there are much smaller differences between peak and trough, maybe 20 seconds apart. But it’s like she’s not consistent. And in biathlon, you have to take the chance when the shots sit, he says.
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Strikes back
But Stina Nilsson disagrees. Instead, she fights back against the criticism.
– Shooting-wise, I think I’ve done well, I think it feels great in the end too, it’s two razor-thin bars. And in terms of skiing, I still think I had a pretty good race plan. I still think I got it out in relation to all the conditions I faced, she tells Expressen.
Stina Nilsson also believes that she does not have much experience in distance races, as Wednesday’s competition was, and that it will get better.
– It feels like it is too early in the season to evaluate it. It’s my second distance race ever, so it’s hard to know how to go out then. So I need a few more races, but I think when it’s right it can go fast.
Today is the relay, and then Stina Nilsson will be left out of the team. Instead, Linn Persson, Anna Magnusson, Hanna Öberg and Elvira Öberg compete for Sweden.
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